Wake UP!

From the title of Hazel English’s debut album to its exclamation mark and the capitalization of the word “UP,” the Australian-born, Los Angeles-based singer couldn’t make the themes of the record more obvious: Be present, seize the day, and stop sleepwalking through life. In the gorgeous dream pop of “Off My Mind,” she conveys this message via a story about being stranded in a situation, too stuck to make a move. “I don’t want to watch my life just pass me by,” she laments. Throughout, English draws from folk, indie, and dream-pop influences while incorporating sweeping touches of ’60s pop–it’s a breezy, classic-sounding combination that even makes songs about being frustrated with someone, such as “Five and Dime” (“You know I need my space so I’m heading to the five and dime”), sound like a soundtrack to a beautiful summer’s day.